ARMED teenagers caused havoc in a shop as they made threats with a metal pole, with shop owners shielding terrified children behind the counter.

The group of roughly nine youths smashed displays using the metal pole and stole handfuls of crisps and bottles of coke.

The incident, at the Premier in Luncies Road, Basildon, took place shortly before 4pm on Monday.

Shoppers tried to intervene and stop the yobs from getting away, while a woman was hit by a “swinging door”.

Worker, Nicalaus Sivaguru, 55, says he had to shield worried children behind the counter during the incident.

Echo:

He said: “It was a busy time in the shop after school just before 4pm on Monday.

“They came in and damaged the greeting cards stand and it all collapsed. They also took loads of drinks and knocked lots over the floor too.

“One was waving around a metal bar and threatening to hurt people with it. There was a woman with children who were scared and I took the children behind the counter.

“Another woman blocked the door to try and help as well. We are scared and don’t know what’s going to happen next.”

He said incidents happen with groups of youths “every day”

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with shoppers urging them to put restrictions in place preventing multiple children entering the shop at once.

A worried mum, who witnessed the incident, added: “They came in grabbed some crisps and bottles of coke and pulled all the cards over.

“Another woman came in and held the door shut while one lad in the shop was waving a metal bar to try get out.

“One boy was kicking the door to try get in but another lady was holding door so they couldn’t and then the one in the store ran though the shop using back door.”

Police confirmed officers were called to the store and an investigation is going.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “We responded to reports of a disturbance at a shop in Luncies Road, Basildon, which took place shortly after 3.45pm on Monday.

“It was reported that a group of people entered the shop and took a number of items from the shelves without making an attempt to pay for them.

“During the incident, a woman was struck by a swinging door.

Thankfully she did not sustain an injury.”

Call 101 with incident 806 of February 7.